1.7 (above average)
Tune of the Day: Song to the Moon
Antonín Dvořák's opera Rusalka was composed in 1901, and based on the fairy tales of Karel Jaromír Erben and Božena Němcová. A Rusalka is in fact a water sprite of Slavic mythology, usually inhabiting a lake or river. This is one of the most successful Czech operas, and represents a cornerstone of the repertoire of Czech opera houses.
Arguably the most popular excerpt of this opera is Rusalka's aria “Song to the Moon” from Act I. The good-natured old Spirit of the Lake, Jezibab, is enjoying the singing of the Wood Nymphs, when his daughter, Rusalka, approaches him sadly. She tells him that she has fallen in love with a handsome young prince and wishes to become human in order to know the bliss of union with him. Deeply saddened, the Spirit of the Lake consents to her request, and leaves. All alone, Rusalka sings this beautiful aria, confiding in the moon the secrets of her longing.